Walk, don't run to the nearest exit in a hotel fire

After a spate of deadly hotel fires in the 1980s, Congress passed the Hotel and Motel Safety Act of 1990. In the decade since, the lodging industry has spent millions of dollars on fire security systems.

The safety record has improved, but

there are still many code violations and thousands of hotel fires each year. Hotels in many other countries are not nearly as fire conscious as in the United States.

The truth is that all government regulation and high-tech precaution notwithstanding, the most reliable safety resources are still your own knowledge and common sense about what to do in an emergency.

With that in mind, here are some basic considerations:

Choose your hotel wisely. The United States Fire Administration has compiled a searchable data base of the thousands of hotels and motels across the country, www.usfa.fema.gov/hotel/search.cfm, that conform to two basic Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act requirements. Every guest room must be equipped with a smoke detector permanently connected to AC power and, if the building is more than three stories high, each room must have a fully automatic sprinkler system.

Pack a flashlight and battery-powered smoke detector along with your travel alarm. Use a hanger to place the smoke detector at the top of a closet door away from air conditioners or supply ducts because the fresh air flow may prevent smoke-filled air from setting off the alarm.

The vast majority of hotel fire deaths result from acrid smoke and toxic gases released by the burning materials, rather than the flames themselves. In addition to making it difficult to breath, smoke can irritate victims' eyes and make it hard to find their way to safety. It's also why fire emergency procedures stress maintaining a healthy supply of fresh air.

Some safety-savvy travelers also make a point to pack small smoke hoods in their carry-on luggage. These devices can provide critical minutes of fresh air during an emergency. One popular model, the EVAC-U8 retails for about $70. For information 800-459-3822 or www.evac-u8.com.

Next, whenever you check into a hotel room, perform a mental fire drill. Note the posted emergency exit plan on the back of the door. Careful guests may even take a few moments to find the actual exit door and make sure it's not locked or blocked in any way. It's also a good idea to make sure other family members are aware of emergency escape routes, too.

When you go to sleep, get in the habit of leaving your room key on the night stand or somewhere you can find it fast. If fire forces you to flee your room, take that key with you. You never know what emergency may drive you back into your room.

If you are awakened by a fire alarm, phone the front desk or hotel operator to determine exactly what's happening and to report your presence and how many people are with you. If you're advised to evacuate or can't get through to the desk, pull on some clothes and shoes, grab your room key and a wet wash cloth.

But don't open the door until you've felt its top or door knob with the back of your hand to see if it's hot.

A hot door indicates there is fire in the hall. In that case, stay in your room and let the front desk know you're trapped. Then, fill the bathtub, so you'll have a supply of water if the pressure drops. It's also OK to use water from the commode.

Several wet towels rolled and stuffed under the door will help keep out smoke and fumes. If your room door gets hot, use an ice bucket to pour water on it. Turn off the air conditioner, which can suck hot gases into the room, but do flip on bathroom fans, which can suck smoke out.

If you can, open the room's windows, but don't break the glass, because smoke and flames billowing from lower floors can fill your room and kill you. Do open your curtains or hang a bed sheet where it can be seen to alert emergency workers of your whereabouts. Unless your room is located on the first or second floor, don't think about jumping out the window until directed to do so by firefighters.

If, on the other hand, your room door isn't hot when you test it, open it cautiously. If the hall is smoky, close your door and move down the hall staying on the side where the exit door is located. Crawl or stay as close to the floor as possible, breathing through that wet wash cloth. It's also wise to make a mental note of how many doorways you pass along the way, to help you find your back to your room if you have to.

If your group has several people, try to stay together and decide on a place you can meet downstairs if you happen to be separated along the way.

Never use an elevator as an escape route, especially in a high-rise building. Some elevator systems are programmed to shut down during fire emergencies, while others will automatically go to the floor where there's a fire. In either case, elevator shafts also usually fill with smoke during a fire.

Instead, proceed to the nearest fire exit door and try to determine whether the fire is above or below you. If the fire and smoke seem thicker at lower levels, turn around and go back to your room. It's generally not a good idea to go up to the roof, as the stairwell may not exit at the roof, or the exit door may be locked.

Before entering the stairwell, check to see whether the door locks from the stairway side. If so, know that once you enter, you may be able to exit only at the ground floor. Holding onto hand rails is also important in these situations, both to help you find your way and to avoid being knocked over by other who may be in a panic.

Above all, stay calm. Many more fire deaths are caused by blind panic than smoke or flames combined.